This invention relates to managing information in an endoscopy system, and in particular to controlling the acquisition, processing, storage, and display of endoscopic images.
During an endoscopic surgical procedure, the surgeon typically uses a video camera (or other suitable device, such as a video arthroscope) to capture images of the surgical site. The images are generally applied to a display device (such as a television monitor) for observation. In some cases, the images are stored on video tape (by, e.g., a VCR) or are converted to digital files for storage in memory or on a disk drive. Different physicians often use the video equipment in different ways.